The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-04-23
MISCELLANEOUS SCIENCE.

MISCELLANEOUS SCIENCE.
i THE annual rainfall upon the globe is
estimated at thirty-hve thousand cubic
miles.
/ AN average egg weighs about one thou
sand grains, as follows: Shell, 107; white,
sol. and yellz, $50.
GEOMETRY is said to have originate with
| the Egyptians. Their landmarks being
NEAR for res tor:ng them, and in their eff
forts to do this discovered the principles of
this science.
| An invention for the manufacture of
magnesium promises TO place a supp!ant-
ing force in the field Of illunlinants with
electricity. The new article can be burned
in lamps and transported independent Of
pipes or wires
PAPER pulp is now being made from a
certain rank weed that grows in great
abundance in New Jersey The material is
OF great service i'll this respect as a large
| number of barrels are made of pulp, thus
creating demand for material.
THERE are different opinions, based on
scientific research, in the matter of the
color OF the sun. The latest intelligence is
! to the effect that the color Of the sun is the
same as the white light to be seen at high
elevations in clear atmos sphere
Oil seems to wear out by long continued
use, and to lose: to some extent, its lubri-
eating qualities. It has been suggested as
a reason for this that the minute spherical
globules, of which the Oil is conceived to
be made up, become hattened by the wear
and pressure, and so do not slide or roll
over each other as easily as before.
| A JOURNAL of science calls attention to
| the fact Of the damaging effects Of persons
| hab'tually sleeping together. One may be
eli1ninative Of nervous forces while the
other is absorbent; in which case the sys-
tenn Of the one would become deranged Or
undermined while the other would be ben
Gifted. Ii more attention were given this
fact better state Of health would result.
THERE are burned daily in the electric
lights in the United States 900 carbons
These carbons are made chiefly Of the resi-
dunn Of oil after it has been refined. but
the deposit about natural wells is also COM
ing into use. The material is ground to
powder, a little pitch is added, and the
| substance is then placed in the Mods
These are packed in boxes and the latter
placed in a furnace, where they are sub
jected 10 the most intense heat. The ca
pacity OF an ordinary furnace is As, 900 car
bOns,
"A SCIENTIFIC writer in q London paper
gives it as his conclusion that clouds of not
1 less than Z, 0DO feet in thickness are seldom
accompanied by rain, OF, if they are it is
very gentle, consisting OF minute drops:
with thickness OF between 1900 and ZOO
feet, the size Of the drop is moderate; with
increasing thickness Of the clouds comes
an increasing size OF the drops, and at the
same time the degree Of temperature be,
comes lowered. When the thickness
amounts to more than 5000 feet hail is pro-
duCel.
PUTTING the average mileage OF all Ell
gines at $4,000 miles per year would make
the life of a piston, SO far as packing is
concerned, thirty-two years, or more than
the average life Of an engine. Freight en-
glnes require set of packing rings once in
three months on an average. Switch en-.
gines require q set once each month. Pis
ton and valve stem wear, with hemp, is
very remarkable. The average life of a
steel piston rod, with hemp, is four years
?she average Of a valve stem, with hemp,
does not exceed two years.
RoBUR1TE is German explosive that has
been il, use in the mines of that country
for several years, but owing to it's costli-
ness it has not been in general use It has
/, reduction in the cost is anticipated. The
TACT that roburite explodes neither from
frict on nor from sudden shock will great
ly facilitate its transport. The effects pro-
duced by an explosion Of roburite are said
TO be marvellous, and though the state
znent that one discharge of it will remove
mountains is exaggerated. the ravages
caused by it are stated by eye-witnesses to
be terrible.
TIE walls OF a sicl1room should be fin
ishod i'll plain, subdued color, instead OF
paperad in fancy patterns, as patients are
ljabl, to be rendered irrit bic ana sleepless
by profound mental perturbation induced
by vain IF TITS to trace problems Or in
counting con- binations. "A case OF tenn
porary Insanity is reported as occasioned
by morbid disposition to solve the posi-
bic combinations into squares OF certain
figures on the wallpaper OF a patients
room, as his mutterngs implied, which
ceased at once when he was removed to a
room with plain walls.
TIE common assertion that brass can not
be tempered is met by a writer in 4Necton-
zeal Progress with a statement covering his
own experience during long period.
Brass, he asserts, not hard by mixture, but
by compresson--either rolling, hammer
ing, wire drawing, or any other process
which congresses the particles OF metal
can be and is tempered regularly, just as
easily and in tbhe same manner as in tenn
pering an equal piece Of hardened steel,
viz, by heat: that is by placing q small
piece OF polished steel on the brass object
to be tempered and applying the heat SO
as To affect equally the brass and steel, the
temper Of the brass Will be made known
by the color Of the steel, and, consequent
", brass may, by this process, be tempered
in exact proportion to every shade Of color
Of the steel.
ALL SORTS.
a MISSIONARY who occupied an important
position in cannihallstic bill of fare in the